that such chemicals pose to small children, who can unintentionally consume relatively large amounts of dust. In light of the potential for exposure that is documented A written statement from New research published in ES&T in the new paper, Webster exChemtura says independent test(DOI 10.1021/es801070p) presents pressed dismay over the paucity ing of Firemaster 550 showed that the first evidence that a widely of toxicology data available for it had “a better environmental used flame retardant introduced the Firemaster 550 components. profile [than Penta BDE and met] as a replacement for the persisBob Luedeka, executive directhe U.S. EPA’s toxicological retent, bioaccumulative, and toxic tor of the Polyurethane Foam Penta BDE retardant forAssociation (PFA), says mulation is present in that although no official dust found in North statistics exist on flame American homes. Coupled retardant usage, he unwith indications that the derstands that Firemaster retardant is also entering 550 is widely used to the outdoor environment, meet California’s flame the research raises quesretardant standards, the tions about its safety. nation’s only regulations Heather Stapleton of to address the flammabilDuke University’s Nichoity of upholstered furnilas School of the Environture. Until about 5 years ment and Earth Sciences ago, Luedeka says, some and her colleagues set out furniture manufacturers to determine whether In addition to being found in house dust, both TBPH and TBB used foam formulated to household dust contains meet California standards have been detected in sewage sludge from wastewater treatflame retardants that can ment plants that discharge effluent into the San Francisco in all of their U.S. prodbe used in place of Penta Bay. ucts, but he believes this BDE, which was banned practice is declining. quirements.” The company “bein the EU and discontinued in the PFA recently launched a prolieves that new and alternative U.S. in 2004. By using gas chrogram called CertiPUR to help flame retardants should be shown matography and electron capture manufacturers worldwide assure to be safer for the environment negative ion mass spectrometry, consumers that their products and human health than those the researchers detected four bromeet standards for known hazthey are intended to replace,” and minated compounds in dust colards. However, the only flame reit continues “to conduct addilected from 19 Boston-area tardants considered unacceptable tional toxicology and exposure homes. Three of the compoundss in CertiPUR are the ones that are testing that will be shared with bis(2,4,6,-tribromophenoxy)ethane “flat-out banned,” Luedeka says. the EPA.” (known as BTBPE), decabromoThose are limited to Penta BDE, In the new ES&T research, diphenyl ethane (DBDPE), and Octa BDE, and Deca BDE (the latStapleton and colleagues found hexabromocyclododecane ter is banned in the EU and in that the relative distribution of (HBCD)swere familiar flame resome U.S. states.) the flame retardants in the tardants, but the fourth was a Luedeka credits a report ishouse dust followed the same mystery. sued in 2005 by the Furniture log-normally skewed patterns Flame Retardancy Partnership, a Overthe course of the next 8 that have previously been shown joint venture among EPA, indusmonths, Stapleton and her colfor PBDEs in house dust. These try, and environmental groups, leagues identified the unknown patterns suggest that some with providing some information compound as (2-ethylhexyl) tetrapeople are exposed to far higher on the 14 retardants that can be bromophthalate (TBPH) and veriamounts of the chemicals than used with polyurethane foam fied the presence of 2-ethylhexyl others. padding for upholstered furni2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (TBB) ture. However, Luedeka says, Tom Webster, associate chair of in the dust samples. These two “We’re still lacking environmenenvironmental health at Boston compounds are the active ingredital health and safety data on University’s School of Public ents in the Firemaster 550 flame some of these [retardants]. Health and a paper coauthor, says retardant made by Chemtura Corp. scientists are particularly conHowever, TBPH is also used as a —KELLYN BETTS cerned about the potential risk flame retardant in other products. LINDA WANCZYK, SAN FRANCISCO ESTUARY INSTITUTE
New flame retardants detected in indoor and outdoor environments
6778 9 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / September 15, 2008
10.1021/es802145r
2008 American Chemical Society
Published on Web 08/06/2008
